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Jules Vasquez
"Minister Hulse, we've seen a letter from the Belize Energy Workers to you. It is a letter saying thanks for your help. It didn't worked. BEL showed ill will and we are abandoning it and the notice for industrial action is passed due. What are you doing about that?"

Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Labor
"Jules thanks for question. The union is a bit frustrated they claimed and unions become frustrated because they think the process is slow. But our ministry and I in particular have been working this process on both sides and we had almost 10 meetings in the midst of everything else we have to do. We've already spoken with the union and gotten them to temper that mode and to say to them that you cannot walk away and you cannot be that industrial action is the alternative. We've also spoken with BEL and indeed while I was in the senate I got a note from the CEO of BEL who is leaving the country today. A note which I passes on to my CEO. I can't comment on it yet because I haven't read it in its entirety, but it's to continue the process. You see, if both parties abandoned or one or another party abandoned, then under the essential services act, it gives the minister the responsibility and the right if he determines that mediation has not worked, to appoint a tribunal for arbitration. I have not yet determined that mediation has not worked. In fact I think it is working. We are making little steps, but we are making steps and we will not quit, because this is a matter that we can resolve, should resolved and must resolved. That's basically where we are."

Jules Vasquez
"The union sent you a long letter, two pages. Have they backed off the hard line that they took in that letter?"

Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Labor
"I can't say they have backed off the hard line. I won't speak yet for that. I have not received any counter letter and I don't want to prejudice the intents of the executive of the union with their membership who would be seeing this broadcast. But only to say that I have spoken to the executives, I've spoken to the president himself and I know my CEO have spoken to Mr. Mora and we are urging through this medium especially for the workers to have some patience. We will resolved this matter. There is a lot of common ground and we know that there is a feeling of frustration, but let us say that we want to make sure that this is resolve properly and there is no need for industrial action. I can assure them that on Monday morning we will be again on it as we have been for the past weeks and over 10 different meetings combined between the two parties."

Jules Vasquez
"They say that the union holds firmly to the belief that we are now way passed calling 21 days' notice with intention to strike as required by the law. Do you believe that the union will proceed with industrial action?"

Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Labor
"I don't. I would be disappointed in they did. As I said we have been in this process, the membership of course dictates to their executive what their wishes are, but we've ask the executive to lean on the membership and say man give us a bit more time and everything can work out. This is Belize. We just had a glorious settlement I would called it and you heard everybody opposing it there who want to oppose it. This company in which they are employed is now back fully in the hands of Belizeans. We've been able to settle this and this was a far bigger issue than a small issue between the union and management in terms of 4 points. So please, just give us some time so we can move on further. My ministry and myself will continue to mediate this process."

The precise wording of the letter from the union is, quote, "For these reasons the Union membership is of the general opinion that the BEWU will have to take industrial action leading up to a general strike in order for our demands to be met by an inflexible, inconsiderate and disrespectful employer."

We'll keep following it next week.